Tinubu’s certificate controversy sounds strange, says Farounbi

Former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, has said that leaving a blank space on primary and secondary schools attended by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the form he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission looks strange.

He said that anyone aspiring to govern a country must be a model and epitome of what could inspire the younger ones.

Farounbi stated this, yesterday, at the sideline of a programme organised by Tunde Odunlade Arts and Culture Connecxions to celebrate Orlando Julius Ekemode in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He said: “For the candidate not to present his primary and secondary school certificates sounds very strange because in everything that I know about university education anywhere, to have a first degree, you will need to have a college, high school and primary school certificates.

“I know you can have a doctorate degree without any of those, but I do not know of any university yet that awards first degree on honorary base or a degree without a high school and a primary school. This sounds strange. It is unusual because even now, Mohammed Ali that was invited to teach poetry had a high school. So, I found it very strange.”

He, therefore, urged Tinubu to show uprightness and ideals to be Nigerian President, adding: “He is expected to be a mentor. His life is supposed to be something that everybody will look up to. What is happening doesn’t sound like a motivation to the young ones or appear to serve as an example. I am wondering what INEC will make out of this because the constitution doesn’t talk of a post-degree.

“It talks about a school certificate. So, I would like to see how INEC would resolve this issue in high school.”